ROCHESTER, N.Y. — ​Officials in Rochester are celebrating nearly half a billion dollars in investments into the city school district over the next 10 years.

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Rochester City School District Modernization Bill into law.

"I know Assemblyman David Gantt is smiling down on our children today, knowing the investment he secured on their behalf more than a decade ago is coming closer to completion," Mayor Lovely Warren said. "I am grateful to our legislative team in Albany for keeping these investments on track and to the members of the Joint Schools Construction Board for their work to ensure these funds are spent in a manner that makes it possible to turn every Rochester school into a Community Beacon School, and that the jobs created with these funds benefit women and minority citizens of Rochester."

The massive amount of money will go toward updating and bringing learning spaces for students up to the 21st Century. That ranges from technology to even proper air conditioning and heating in buildings.

"We are grateful to Gov. Hochul and our local State Delegation Leaders for their roles in ensuring we have the opportunity to provide state-of-the-art learning spaces for students, teachers, and families," said Dr. Lesli Myers-Small, superintendent of RCSD. "We know from the first two phases of the Rochester Schools Modernization Program that the transformation inside these schools make our classrooms and schools dynamic workspaces for all who use them. The designs and technological advances made and through this program will bring the District’s learning environments into the 21st century."

Officials say not only will this help students thrive, but will create good-paying construction jobs in the area as well.